The East German palace is being rebuilt, 35 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall

2024-08-01 21:03:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The East German palace is being rebuilt, 35 years after the fall of the Berlin

Palace of the Republic. Source, VOA

Germany celebrates this year the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. To mark this moment in history, an exhibition has been opened dedicated to the iconic communist building "Palace of the Republic" that once stood in East Berlin. The exhibition was opened in a newly built building, located in the same place where the destroyed building used to stand.

This is the Berlin Palace, now the home of the cultural institution 'Humboldt Forum'.

Due to its style, equipped with statues with golden trumpets, one might think it is an old building. But it is not like that. The facility was completed last year.

This palace is an imitation of the old Prussian royal palace, which stood in this place until the end of the Second World War. East German authorities destroyed the bombed castle in 1950.

For a long time the site remained empty until communist East Germany built a new palace on the site, the Palace of the Republic, which was completed in 1976.

The asbestos-infested palace was demolished in 2006, after German reunification, to make way for the reconstruction of the old Prussian castle.

An exhibition dedicated to the Communist Palace of the Republic has already been opened here.

One of the issues curator Anke Schnabel faced was the different opinions on the communist Palace of the Republic. The decision to demolish it was met with controversy, despite the high levels of asbestos.

"There was a very fierce debate about what to do with the building. Of course there were many who protested against the demolition of the palace and at the same time there were many who were in favor of it or the reconstruction of the Berlin Palace." she says.

This year marks 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. The country was officially reunified a year later. The years of separation can still be felt in Berlin, with many communist monuments and buildings still standing in the former East Berlin.

However, the Palace of the Republic, which housed the East German parliament, as well as theater, music productions and art exhibitions, has been lost without a trace.

This is one of the reasons why 'Forum Humboldt' wanted to organize an exhibition about the old palace, with objects such as paintings and furniture that once belonged to that building.

"It has been 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and anniversaries always prompt reflection. Many young people are interested in the past and visit the exhibition. "Grandparents often bring their grandchildren to learn from her," says Ms. Schnabel.

But Berlin's new Palace has fueled debate mainly because of its mix of old and new architectural styles. Some walls are ornate and built in the baroque style of the 19th century, while others are modern and minimalist.

But many people appreciate this combination.

"Very nice. It's nice to see the new and the old together. You can see this in many places", says Claudia Lehle, a tourist from Switzerland.

"They have done a great job combining the old with the new. We got in and climbed up to the top where there was a great view. Extraordinary thing," says Roland Lehle, another visitor.

The exhibition on the Palace of the Republic will be open until February 16, 2025./ VOA